The 10 Best Neighborhoods for Eating in Cleveland, Ranked

For many years, visitors seemed baffled about where to go in Cleveland once the workday crowd cleared out of Downtown and the streets felt deserted. Of course, Downtown is a helluva place to be these days, but that’s certainly not the only option for a night out. Charming little neighborhoods have been popping up all over town, with unique and attractive housing, shopping, drinking, and most importantly, dining options. Ranked by the quantity of quality restaurants (plus a sprinkle of personal bias... sorry, folks), here are 10 of the best eating neighborhoods in Cleveland.

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10. Battery Park

Considering its close proximity to Lake Erie and Edgewater Park, it only makes sense that Battery Park would be a destination neighborhood. Following years of decline, this former battery plant site has recently been transformed into the largest housing development in the city of Cleveland. Of course, that means residents and visitors need some great dining options and the neighborhood has delivered, with several restaurants serving delicious, unpretentious grub.

Courtesy of Alley Cat

9. The Flats

Let’s face it: the Flats are so damn cool these days. Although the area was dealt a blow with the shuttering of Crop Rocks, Crop Sticks, and On Air a few months ago, we’re confident the Flats will remain the place to be for some time to come. If you haven’t checked the area out yet, get there soon -- the Flat’s many excellent restaurants are best enjoyed with a little sunshine on your face and a cold drink in hand. For a few hours, it’s just like vacation in Cleveland, and there’s nowhere else we’d rather be.

Courtesy of Edwin’s Restaurant

8. Shaker Square/Larchmere

On a special occasion, you can’t go far wrong by making a reservation at Fire, a farm-to-table mainstay in posh Shaker Heights, or Edwin’s, for French fine dining and a cheese board so beautiful you’re going to want to cry (or maybe that’s just us). On a more relaxed evening, artsy Larchmere is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, featuring warm, welcoming neighborhood hangouts such Felice Cafe.

7. Lakewood

Walkable, affordable, and full of creative types, Lakewood is one Cleveland suburb that’s anything but basic. Anchored by Detroit Rd establishments such as Deagan’s, a gastropub with an emphasis on craft beer and quality food, and peppered with innovative newcomers such as Salt, featuring imaginative small plates and craft cocktails, there’s something for all tastes and budgets in our number seven pick.

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6. Cedar Lee

Everything west-siders have to love about Lakewood is equally true of the east side’s Cleveland Heights. Stroll through the Cedar Lee neighborhood to enjoy a bevy of excellent dining options, including Marotta’s for from-scratch Italian, Taste for upscale American, Anatolia for Turkish delights, as well as The Wine Spot for plenty of wine and beer to wash it all down.

Courtesy of Coquette Patisserie

5. University Circle

Featuring one of the most visited art museums in the world and home to the internationally renowned Cleveland Orchestra, University Circle is absolutely enchanting. Luckily, many of the area’s restaurants are sure to charm as well. Trentina’s Menu Bianco is a dining experience to end all dining experiences, while Coquette is certainly the spot to indulge in fresh oysters, delicate French macarons, and happy glasses of bubbly. Oh la la, indeed.

4. Gordon Square

Gordon Square Arts District has brought a new vibrancy to Cleveland’s dynamic arts scene. And if food is art, then that’s no exception either. While Spice’s truly excellent seasonal menu and Toast’s revitalized farm fare will have you leaving feeling pleasantly satisfied, Banter’s loaded poutine and Sweet Moses’ over-the-top ice cream creations will have you happily rolling out the door. No matter what you come for, our number four spot is sure to deliver deliciously.

3. East Fourth

Walking down East Fourth St early in the evening, you can’t help but feel proud to be living in a city as great as Cleveland. And not only is the street itself totally intoxicating, its restaurants have the substance to match all that style. Michael Symon’s Lola and Mabel’s, Jonathon Sawyer’s Greenhouse, and the relatively new Butcher & the Brewer are just a handful of spots worth dipping into before seeing comedy at Pickwick & Frolic or a show at the House of Blues.

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2. Tremont

Although hip new neighborhoods seem to be popping up all over Cleveland these days, Tremont was a pioneer of this revitalization trend. Within its main parameters, it’s hard to walk a few feet without stumbling upon a restaurant or bar that’s just beckoning you inside. Featuring an excellent mix of casual but oh-so-delicious options such as Lucky’s and Sokolowski’s, mid-range spots such as Fat Cats, and special occasion indulgences like Ginko, Tremont is one neighborhood that’s fit for any kind of day or night.

1. Ohio City

As the unofficial brewery district of Cleveland, and considering most everyone’s deep love for craft beer, Ohio City is absolutely booming these days. But visitors flock to the area for far more than the highly regarded brews. Like food! Long standing favorites like The Flying Fig happily make room for tempting newcomers like Herb‘n Twine. Hearty booze, delicious food, and a whole lot of neighborhood love. What’s not to dig about our number one spot?

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Beth Phillips is a Cleveland-area writer who, unlike in the case of our Presidential Election, had a hard time picking a winner for this list. So many great candidates! You can follow her on Twitter @CraveableCLE.

Cleveland's Best New Restaurants of 2017

C
leveland began its transformation into a food destination several years ago, with some of the best restaurants in town actually opening just last year in 2016. These days, there’s no shortage of truly excellent eats to be found most anywhere across the 216 (and 440...), and from Lola’s hip brand of swankiness to Swenson’s sweatpants-appropriate casual, everyone has their tried and true favorites. That said, 2017's food offerings were nothing to sneeze at either, and there are plenty of new arrivals deserving of a spot on your go-to list; here are our five favorite places to open this year.

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Downtown

A hip, industrial brewery serving fresh, local pub food
Arguably, when it comes to Cleveland breweries, we’re quickly nearing the point of saturation. However, Noble Beast truly shines for its pairing of excellent beers by Shaun Yasaki (the former opening brewer at Platform Beer) and locally sourced pub food by James Redford (formerly of Spice Kitchen & Bar). With Spice’s allegiance to local ingredients now deeply ingrained in Redford, Noble Beast’s kitchen utilizes local produce, meats, dairy and even condiments. Menu standouts include the veggie sandwich with Cheddar, garlic aioli and almond butter, as well as the zucchini Parmesan fritters with buttermilk ranch -- and if you're a diehard carnivore, there's also a smoked kielbasa corn dog that's a must-try.

The Flats

Handcrafted beers and elevated bar food served along the river
Considering its prime location alongside the Cuyahoga River, it was a total shame when the Watermark restaurant closed its doors in 2003. Thanks in part to the recent revitalization of The Flats, the historical building reopened its doors as Collision Bend Brewing Company back in April. Beyond its picturesque setting, this latest venture from Cleveland chef and restaurateur Zack Bruell offers consistently good food alongside its handcrafted beers -- highlights off the food menu include flavorful lamb tamales with salsa verde, and salty-spicy salami & green olive pizza. Whether you’re stopping in for a few drinks or a full-on meal, don’t miss the completely moreish Collision Bend popcorn with bacon fat, Mexican pepper, lime zest and pecorino. We’ll take another handful, please.

Lakewood

A simple Neapolitan stand-out amid a sea of new pizza joints
As the newest restaurant on this list, opening only a few short weeks ago, Harlow’s Pizza is quickly gaining a loyal following for its ultra-simple menu of five different wood-fired pizzas and a handful of drinks. Using a Pavesi oven imported from Italy, owners Emily Flamos and John Sweeney are cooking up the type of pies they learned how to make during travels to Naples. In a city seemingly bursting with new pizza joints, Harlow’s sets itself apart from the crowd as the perfect example of letting high-quality ingredients speak for themselves. Don’t miss the classic margherita, with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and sea salt.

Willoughby

New American kitchen and cocktail bar in downtown Willoughby
Cleveland’s foodies may not flock to downtown Willoughby on the regular, but it’s certainly worth the trek to check out Hook & Hoof. Since its opening in April, the restaurant has been turning out top-notch New American food like lamb belly meatballs and caramelized scallops with black truffle pate. The scratch kitchen, helmed by hometown chefs Chaz Bloom and Hunter Toth, works with seasonal ingredients from local suppliers such as Green City Growers and Tom’s Foolery. An extensive yet thoughtful cocktail list of originals and classics offers the perfect boozy companions to any dish you desire -- try the Black Flag, with bourbon, brandied Amarena syrup, and Aztec chocolate bitters. We dare you to order just one.

Downtown

Top-quality steaks and seafood in a glamorous old bank
Speaking of revitalized historical buildings, you really can’t find a more spectacular example than Marble Room. Situated in the lobby of the old National City Bank, this restaurant features floor-to-ceiling marble columns, intricate green and gold carpeting, and plushly upholstered furniture. The over-the-top menu matches this restaurant’s completely decadent interior, featuring all of the pricey steak house classics (like long-bone tomahawks and Kobe strip loin cooked tableside) along with a raw bar menu. If you’re in the mood for something unique, check out the surf-and-turf sushi roll with wagyu tataki, lobster, avocado and kimchi purée or the Hudson Valley foie gras with funnel cake and seasonal jam. Marble Room is undoubtedly the place to knock the socks off of your out of town visitors.

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Food & Drink

The Best Restaurants in Cleveland Right Now

Welcome to the latest installment of Eat Seeker, our list of where to eat in Cleveland right now. A restaurant doesn’t have to be shiny and new (though you'll find a few of those) to make our list; it just needs to be a place we love, whether it’s a reliable go-to, a restaurant we take out-of-towners to, or a place that’s a total splurge. We've taken off some spots for our spring/summer update -- not because we don’t still love ‘em, but because we simply had to make way for other great returns and new additions.